Clergy ready to Occupy Spokane

On Saturday Spokane area clergy will dress in their vestments and join the Occupy Spokane protestors in marching for economic justice.

Though participants may be few (Episcopal clergy are in Yakima for the Annual Diocesan Convention) , Methodist pastor Deb Conklin said she hopes the faith community’s presence will be a strong witness that the church can still have a cogent voice.

Wikimedia Commons Photo

“The whole corruption of the economic system is at the heart of hunger, at the heart of homelessness, at the heart of people losing their jobs, at the heart of people working for minimum wage and not making enough to support their families, it’s at the heart of every social justice issue and people of faith are called to take action,” she said, citing Isaiah 58.

She said if clergy choose not to participate, they will have made true the notion that the church is no longer relevant.

“The United Methodist Church at one point was a prophetic voice around social justice issues, when it came for the right for people to organize in the work place, the right for women and minorities to vote, and in the last 50 years we’ve lost that voice,” she said. “We’re not even being challenged to be in forefront of this, we’re simply being challenged to get on board a train that is already leaving the station.”

Saturday’s march will take place at noon on the corner of Riverside and Monroe. This event is in conjunction with the worldwide United for Global Change event. People from 868 cities and 78 countries are expected to participate. Local protestors will warm up on Friday with a peace march at 4 p.m. at the same location.

On Oct. 24 faith leaders from around the country, including Spokane, are planning to gather for a demonstration at 10:30 a.m. There will also be lunchtime prayer vigils throughout the state on the last two Tuesdays of the month.